Strong At Heart
by Katsumi Sinclair
Summary: Ulquiorra ponders as Orihime eats, Orihime wants to know what he's thinking about. UlquiHime.


**Title: **Strong At Heart

**Author: **Katsumi Sinclair

**Pairing(s): **UlquiHime

**Warning(s): **None

**Rating: **K+

**Summary: **Ulquiorra ponders as Orihime eats, Orihime wants to know what he's thinking about. UlquiHime.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach or the characters.

_Strong At Heart_

"You must eat." Orihime Inoue stared down at her hands resting in her lap, purposely avoiding eye contact with that of the very powerful arrancar standing before her. She had refused to eat again, much like the last few days, ever since she first arrived in this place.

Ulquiorra Schiffer, Fourth Espada, the said arrancar who had uttered those three words stood, his hands in his pockets as always, staring down at the woman. His eyes held an unreadable, emotionless expression, while his body stood still, completely stoic, making his expressionless look even more adamant.

He wasn't at all surprised to find the tray of food untouched when he had come back to check. In fact, he already knew that it would be abandoned yet again. He suppressed a sigh. For the past three days he would come to her cell to bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then leave. When returning he would find the plate of food, still lying innocently, neglected.

At first and still, he had threatened her just to make her eat. Her not eating went against Aizen-sama's wishes, therefore leaving him immobile of fulfilling his orders. She hadn't yielded to his threats yet, seemingly unafraid of him, and although he didn't show it, it certainly irked him.

He recalled his orders. They were to make sure the girl stayed healthy, thus meaning that if she not cooperate, then use any means necessary to ensure she does; hence the threats. She had been given three options for eating too: Do it of her own will, be forcibly fed the food, or be restrained and fed by IVs. It didn't concern him which choice she would make, but it certainly would be less of a hindrance if she followed orders and selected the first choice.

"You do recall the alternative, do you not?" The woman simply remained silent, so he went on. "It does not matter. I have no problem making you forcibly eat that food. You will follow orders and abide by Aizen-sama's wishes, willingly or forcefully."

When Orihime continued to stay quiet and unmoving, with lightening speed, Ulquiorra had his hand enclosed firmly around her neck. He applied only enough pressure to not harm her, but to frighten her. Orihime's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise and fear. Her hands instinctively reached up to take hold of the espada's wrist.

He stared straight into her eyes, completely calm. "I will not hesitate to shove that food down your throat if you do not eat it willingly."

Without directing his gaze, Ulquiorra reached out with his free hand to the plate. Selecting a roll of some sort, he brought his hand back, pushing the food to her lips. "Eat. I do not wish to pry your mouth open."

Orihime glared at the arrancar, but opened her mouth nonetheless. If he had already come this far, he would finish his objective at making her eat, and would very well pry her mouth open if she didn't obey. Leisurely, he inched the piece of food past her lips and into her mouth. Orihime bit down on it, and began chewing slowly.

Ulquiorra released his hand from her neck so she could swallow. Although she really didn't want to, her stomach protested, and she took another bite from the still outstretched food. When she finished it, Ulquiorra pulled his arm back, returning it to his side. "I take it, you are going to eat now?"

Orihime sighed, giving up. "Yes." Her voice was soft and a bit reluctant. Grasping the plate firmly, he lifted it from the cart, and brought it before the woman. Orihime delicately took hold of the porcelain white plate being held out in front of her, and placed it in her lap.

Satisfied that she had accepted the food, Ulquiorra chose to step back and lean against the wall across from her. When Orihime took notice that he had not left yet, she lifted her solemn gaze from her lap to the arrancar, her face now turning into a look of confusion. "You're staying?"

Ulquiorra didn't even hesitate to reply. "To ensure you finish your meal."

"Oh." Her face turned sullen again as she stared back down at the food. Seizing the fork lying on the plate, Orihime began eating small portions of the food slowly. It was obvious that she detested having to eat the food, but at the same time her body happily welcomed the nutrition she had so starved herself from.

While she ate, Ulquiorra quietly watched the woman, observing her. Humans were always such weak and comprehensible creatures to him, he saw no need for them actually. What disturbed him the most was that when normally he could so much as care less about such a worthless piece of trash, this one human had made him think so much as of late.

He had found himself thinking about all the traits and characteristics that made those so foolish creatures weak. Which ones could be considered strong amongst all of them, and why most actually thought they had any significance. The most strongest and possibly considered only half human was no doubt that Ichigo Kurosaki kid.

That boy, at first could be the only human that the Fourth Espada found himself interested in. He allowed himself to exclusively think of the kid as the only strongest one, but this girl, this woman was strong too.

Undoubtedly, she wasn't strong as in bodily strength, in fact from anyone's point of view, they would say that she was in fact weak. She was strong in a different way though, a way most humans would say was the most powerful.

As Ulquiorra studied her, he found that, although she didn't show it now, she was surely strong at the heart, as others would put it. From what he could gather, she was determined at most things and genuinely more caring about others than her own wellbeing. She seemed like the type of person who put their heart and soul into everything they did, and was an overall joyful human.

Although, right now if anyone were to say that, it would definitely be denied by the obvious way she presented herself. Still, Ulquiorra had heard things about the girl and albeit being somber all the time, he could most certainly see her as that kind of person. She had after all, given up everything to come to Las Noches in order to ensure the lives of her friends, even if that meant having to give up her own in return.

This woman, Orihime Inoue was no doubt a very powerful being, even aside from her supernatural healing powers. She was powerful in all ways that were looked down upon as weak and insignificant. She relied on her own willpower and emotions to get herself through the day, and as he looked at her now, Ulquiorra could still sense that power deep inside.

The sad part about it was that as each passing day went by, that harnessed power was being weakened and shrouded by more sorrowful feelings. Looking up and gazing through the little window that provided the only reminder that their really was an outside world, Ulquiorra came to the conclusion for the evil that was responsible for all of Orihime's troubles.

The once bright and cheerful girl before him that had now changed into that of a more pathetic and despondent girl had only been turned into this girl by this place. Las Noches and every single being and arrancar had made her this way. They had stripped her of her once normal human life and taken away everything she held dear. This place, even himself were to blame for the weakened state she had been reduced to and why all of her power was now withering into nothingness.

But then again there was that one question that still stood. If she willingly came here, then why was this place the blame and not herself? Surely if you thought about it, she was the one who had brought all of her pain and despair on herself. Then again she was forced into a rather compromising situation, a situation where even Aizen-sama knew which choice she would make and would then feed off of that knowledge.

All in all there wasn't much of an understanding of what had originally caused all of the sadness and despair. If thought about more precisely, it would all link back up to each other, creating an endless passage of reasoning.

This was why Ulquiorra was so confused about this simple human girl. The race was supposed to be apparent and perceptible, but this girl had seemed to make it even more complex, and it irked him. He had thought, had knew he had figured everything out about these humans, and now there was one lone one who made him question everything he knew.

Not to mention it was giving him a headache from thinking too much. Pulling his right hand from his hakama pocket, he gingerly rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger, trying to dull the pain.

While all of this thinking was going on inside of Ulquiorra's head, Orihime was growing a little uncomfortable with the arrancar standing there while she ate. He didn't seem to even acknowledge that she was there anymore, seemingly lost in his own thoughts; that was definitely something she hadn't seen from the Espada before.

Regardless of that, she had finished eating a few minutes ago and he hadn't noticed that she was done. She was a little afraid to bring him from his thoughts, not sure what he would do if she did so, so she had opted to sit there and wait. Even so, he still stayed standing against the wall, staring out of her small window.

Deciding to chance it and tell him she was now finished, she carefully spoke up. "A-ano, U-Ulquiorra-san?"

Abruptly, Ulquiorra's hand left his forehead as he looked up at Orihime. She jumped a bit at his reaction, surprised. His eyes scanned her body until they landed on the now empty plate,and he concluded why she had uttered his name. "You are finished." Even though it could be considered a question, it sounded more like a statement, which was how it was intended.

"Hai." Ulquiorra pushed himself away from the wall, approaching the woman. She held the plate out for him to take and he accepted it, placing it back on the cart.

"Servant." It wasn't spoken exceptionally loudly, but at his command a servant entered the room, and almost mechanically the servant took the cart, retreating from the cell.

Ulquiorra turned to take his leave as well, when Orihime's hesitant voice stopped him. "...Ulquiorra-san?" He turned his head slightly, indicating for her to go on. "U-um, you don't have to answer or anything, but while I was eating it seemed like you were thinking about something really important."

When he turned around to fully face her, Orihime thought she had said something she shouldn't have and hurriedly tried to come up with something to say. "I-I mean, excuse me if I'm prying or something, I shouldn't have! I just, it looked as if something was troubling you, and if you didn't mind, I would be happy if you were to tell me and maybe I could-."

"Stop." At his command, she immediately quit rambling. Her eyes were a little wide from fear as he stared at her with blank eyes. "You wish to know what I was thinking, did it occur to you that perhaps it is of no concern to you?"

"W-well, of course. I don't want to discourage you by asking, but when someone seems confused about something, it's always good to talk about it." Orihime looked down at her lap much like before while fiddling with her fingers nervously.

Ulquiorra sighed quietly. "You should not burden yourself with others concerns."

"Yes, I know- Wait. You're concerned, Ulquiorra-san?" She looked at him with confusion and curiosity. Instead of giving her an answer, he simply turned back around and headed for the door again. When he reached out to open the door, he was stopped once again. "Ulquiorra-san, are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

"You." He didn't have to turn around to know that she was even more confused then before. Although it was completely against his nature to admit it, he elaborated anyway. "I was thinking and am concerned about you."

When walking out the door, her shocked expression that soon changed into a small smile didn't go unnoticed by the arrancar. At least now he knew that that power was still alive and that she hadn't given up just yet.


End file.
